Someone broke into my apartment this morning, and fortunately was scared off by my dog and I before he took anything or worse.  But my fiancé and I are considering getting a gun now, and it seems a bit overwhelming.  I have never owned or fired a gun before and I would love some advice on what I should look for.  Don't have much money so it has to be cheap, but I worry about spending too little and getting a piece of crap.  Handgun seems best.  Anyway, I appreciate the help ahead of time.

Aw man sorry to hear about that bro!

Honestly having one of those cheap pop guns isn't such a bad idea. A buddy of mine modded a fake gun into a realistic looking one just by using a saw and black spray paint.

On another note, depending on where you live check the gun laws. In some states even shooting people in your own house, you can be charged with attempted murder.

Hey Vemo! I too am sorry to hear the bad news :(

But regarding your choice of buying a gun, you just have to understand the responsibility that buying a gun can give. For example, are you ready to end someones life  when you have no choice during the event that someone does (and god forbid) break in your house again, or  the fact that if you have children or will be having one, will the gun be hidden safely to the point they dont find it (ever) but at the same time you can get it at a moments notice? But thats just my thoughts, i would prefer to use a metal bat so i can have the satifaction of beating down who evers in my house

Hey man. That's a scary situation...

I keep a 9mm Glock with a full magazine  up in my closet where my 3 year old cannot get to.  I still have to chamber a round before it is ready to fire, and he's way to small to get close to having that ability due to the force required.  Obviously, as he gets older I will secure it better, but having a hand-gun behind 3 levels of security will do you NO good if you need it to protect yourself.  The criminal won't wait for you to get to your safe, unlock the trigger lock, etc.  If your going to have one for protection, don't bother if your situation demands you keep it locked up.  More than likely it won't do you a bit of good.

For people familiar with guns, I would recommend they purchase from another individual.  However in your case, you need to probably go to a dealer and go through a couple of classes after the purchase.  I would recommend that for you and anyone else in your home that is capable of using it.  The dealer can also direct you toward a good starter pistol.  I would expect to spend $400-500 on the pistol itself.  Dealers will often give discounts on the guns or classes as a packaged deal.

Respectfully, I would highly advise against WannaB's recommendation.  If your going to have something that looks and sounds like a gun, it needs to push some lead out the barrel.  That's just a good way to get killed.

I would look at a S&W revolver, Ruger 9mm or Glock 9mm for starts.  It's a good caliber for unexperienced shooters to control.  I'm comfortable with a 9mm (used to keep one in my desk when I was a probation officer) so that is what I keep.  In a clan this size, surely there are some law enforcement officers here...I would get their advice as well.

I agree. Making something look like a gun is still not a gun. I would recommend owning a shotgun. Believe me when I say the sound of someone charging a shotgun in the middle of the night would deter any would be burglar. You have a better chance of hitting someone with a shotgun blast than a pistol. My friend recently purchased one for the same reason. Homes in his area were getting burglarized and his wife is often home alone. She is able to fire the weapon with no problem and she is small in stature. I have 2 German shepherds and believe me when I say no one is getting in my house and if they do their never gonna get out. Good luck Vemo. It's just sad it has to come to this sometimes.

Nothing makes a crook re-think his situation more than the sound of chambering a round in a shotgun.  Not to mention if you are forced to shoot, accuracy is not an issue. Something every bad guy knows...

Yeah, I'll agree with them.  I don't mean this negatively toward you at all, but considering you've never fired a weapon, they are probably right.  Spray and pray!  Ohh...and a shotgun is going to be cheaper.  You still need to find a firing range for some practice if this is the way you go.  If nothing else, to know what it's going to feel like, and so you have confidence in controlling it.

I agree with Hellboy and Legion.  Shotgun is the route you want to go.  No need to for a handgun if you do not intend to carry it outside of the home and if you have never fired a firearm before your odds are MUCH better with a shotgun than a handgun.  Remember the fear when you realized someone had tried to break into your home?  Multiply that times, oh, about 1,000 and THEN try to raise that pistol and fire it...let alone putting it on target.

Nope, I say a nice shotgun that you can buy in any sporting goods store.  I would look for a 20 gauge pump shotgun and buy a box of Buckshot 3 or 4.  That will give a nice spread with shot big enough to drop anything permanently should it be necessary.

As others suggested here, consult your local firearms laws but I suspect that a hunting shotgun would be legal about anywhere.

Also as Pie suggested, you MUST be prepared to shoot the weapon.  If you or your Fiance' are in a position where you have to use the weapon and find you freeze up, bad things happen.  When you buy the shells, make sure to buy a cheaper box of birdshot as well to take to the range.  Get used to the weapon before you might have to depend on it.

I keep a 20 gauge pump loaded and chambered on my wife's side of the bed.  If I am not here and she hears someone breaking in, she will call 911 and train the weapon at the door to the bedroom.  If ANYTHING darkens the door unannounced she will keep firing until the weapon goes "click" and the beat the target until the stock breaks.  If I should arrive before the police do I don't want to recognize the mess as human.

We do not have children so our solution may not be suitable for those who do.  Of course my wife sleep walks too...hmmm....  :)

Good luck and God Bless.

An ounce of prevention....  I would look at your lock system, alarm, dog before resorting to an after-the-fact solution like a gun. Something as simple as a sticker in your windows that you have an alarm system will drive a thief to move along to an easier target. Even if you don't have an alarm (I got some stickers from a friend that has one), the stickers and signs are a deterrent. We also had a dog for years... nothing like a bark to again move them along to easier prey. Make sure all doors have dead-bolts, etc.  As a dog lover, I would seriously consider that route first... nothing beats their companionship. FWIW, I prefer Chinese Shar-Pei's.

If you do go down the road of getting a gun... for goodness sake take training classes first.

There is ONLY RULE! one that has to be met. When killing/shooting a person in your home. "I WAS IN FEAR OF FOR MY LIFE" once you say that if comes to it "ASK FOR A LAWYER" then don't say anything else. NEVER EVER GAVE A STATEMENT!

The best defense for the home is a 12ga pump 28 inch modifted with number 4 shot. Why 4 shot? It want go through walls to hit your love ones but to a person your home for meaness, lets just they will be out of the picture for good.

What's that saying..

I'd rather be judged by twelve then carried by six.

45 auto <

If you want a handgun and you don't have much money I'd suggest a Smith and Wesson .38 or .357 6 shot revolver. Make sure it's got the rubber grips instead of anything decorative.

A shotgun is also an excellent choice as well.

Something very important to consider though, is there anyone else in your home besides just you and your finace? You don't want a weapon around where children can get to and you don't want a bullet to go through a wall and hit a loved one.

Also, if your going to own any type of firearm you need to learn to shoot it, as well as clean and maintain it. I'd suggest taking a firearms safety course if you've never handled a gun.

Being in the line of work im in i want give you advise i will just say what i would use. A shot gun is good, but for close quarters like in a home give me a simi auto. Its a lot faster and quicker to go to ready gun with. When its going to hit the fan the hand gun is the fastest weapon.

Thank you to everyone for all the replies.  Even though the advice generally seems to be all over the place. lol   First thing was first, and that was alarm system and property insurance.  The reason I'm against a shotgun is because I don't know if my fiancé will be able to handle one.  I was also considering a rimfire weapon, both for price, and because it's not necessarily as lethal yet still would definately get the point across.  And after we get one, we're both taking classes and going to a range to get used to handling one.  We don't have any close friends that would pop on over without notice, family is very far away, and kids are... God willing, still far off.  That being said, I'm not one to fire at a shadow in the night, and I would rather scare him off than actually risk legal woes.  However I do want to know if my fiance is alone that there is something that could actually harm a man available to her.

Again, thanks for all the advice!